20 Megastructures

Roll (d20):

1. A labyrinth of mazes, reaching deep into the earth. It is said that if you can find your way to the centre, you can have any wish granted.
2. A tower that stretches from the bottom of a very deep pit, all the way to the top of the sky. It is said that if you climb to the top, you will be able to see the future.
3. A vast desert, stretching as far as the eye can see in all directions. In the centre is a small oasis, and it is said that if you drink from the fountain there, you will be able to see the past.
4. A giant clock, perpetually resetting itself to zero. All who look upon it fall into a deep sleep, from which they never wake.
5. An array of enormous mirrors, orbiting the sun, which reflect and magnify its light, making day and night unnaturally bright.
6. A crystal palace, in the middle of a great desert. It is said that if one breaks even the smallest piece of the structure, the entire palace will shatter.
7. A city, contained within a single, enormous glass bottle. The citizens are said to be under a powerful curse, dooming them to live out their lives inside.
8. A staircase, leading up to the sun. Each step is made of a different kind of metal, and no two steps are the same size.
9. A library that contains every book ever written. It's possible to get lost in here for years and never find the same book twice.
10. A cathedral made entirely of glass. The stained glass windows show scenes from other worlds.
11. A vast white city, so beautiful and perfect that it is said to be the work of angels. It has no doors or windows, and no one has ever found a way in.
12. An island that is the home of a giant tree. The tree is so big that its roots form mountains, and its branches provide shelter for an entire city.
13. A tree, as big as a mountain, with a trunk made of stone and leaves of metal. It is said to be the first tree, and the source of all metal in the world.
14. A palace, made of a crystal so clear it is almost invisible, that contains the throne room of the queen of the fairies.
15. A black pyramid, miles on a side, built on the edge of the world. It grows larger every day, threatening to consume the world.
16. A thin metal rod, a million miles long, that stands upright. At the top is a small platform where a single person can stand.
17. A transparent orb the size of a small planet. It is completely empty inside.
18. A lattice of powerful magical crystals, embedded in the rocks of a mountain. The mountain is slowly growing as the crystals absorb magical energy from the surrounding area.
19. A flat mirrored plain, a thousand miles across, and perfectly flat. Thought to be created by god, so they could see their reflection.
20. A city build on the back of a giant turtle, that slowly swims through the planes, stopping at other cities to trade.
    
    

Art by Neil Blevins

10 Unique Artifacts (Part I)

Roll (d10):

1. The Blood-Soaked Crown of Aquilus
The Blood-soaked Crown of Aquilus is a circlet of crimson metal that slowly drips with fresh blood. It was used in the coronation of the last king of Aquilus. In his dying moments, the king placed the crown on his own head and bled out atop the altar. The crown has since been used to coronate each new ruler of circlet in a similar fashion.

2. Mask of the Laughing Man
The Mask of the Laughing Man was once worn by a court jester who was murdered by his employer. The mask has since been passed down to other jesters, who have all met the same fate. The mask is said to cause uncontrollable laughter in whoever dons it, eventually leading to madness and death.

3. The Butcher's Blade
The Butcher's Blade is a large, serrated knife that is said to be cursed. It is said that the blade hungers for flesh and will not be satisfied until it has tasted blood. The blade is said to be covered in a never-ending supply of blood, no matter how much is wiped away.

4. The Tongue of the Serpent
The Tongue of the Serpent is a forked tongue that is said to be able to detect lies. It is said that the tongue will wrap itself around the throat of a liar and strangle them. The tongue is also said to be able to charm anyone it speaks to, making them more susceptible to the lies it tells.

5. The Heart of the Dragon
The Heart of the Dragon is a large ruby that is said to be the heart of a dragon. It is said that the heart is still beating and that it gives off a faint, dragon-like roar when it is held close to the ear. It is also said that the heart is impervious to all damage and can only be destroyed by the touch of a dragon.

6. The Horn of the Moon
The Horn of the Moon is a large, spiraling horn that is said to be able to summon the moon. It is said that when the horn is blown, the moon will appear in the sky and will bathe the area in a soft, silvery light. The horn is also said to be able to calm beasts and make them docile.

7. The Stone of Tears
The Stone of Tears is a large, black stone that is said to be able to absorb the tears of those who weep into it. It is said that the stone holds the sorrow of the world and that it weeps for all the sorrow that has been inflicted upon it. The stone is also said to be able to grant wishes, but only to those who have shed tears into it.

8. The God-Mask of Xul'tec
The God-Mask of Xul'tec is a living mask that can be worn by a user to become a God. The mask is made from the stuff of stars, and leaves chaos and destruction in its wake.

9. The Celestial Navigation Globe
The celestial navigation globe is an enlightening tool used to study the planes of existence and the Great Beyond. It is said to be able to pinpoint the exact location of any creature or thing in the cosmos.

10. The Animus Bell
The Animus Bell is a tolling of an arcane machine that can reverse the effects of death. However, the price for such power is the user’s own soul, which is forfeit to the machine.

Art by Moebius.

What Caused The Cataclysm?

What caused the cataclysm? (d30):

1. A bright comet, long awaited by religious fanatics, appeared in the night sky.
2. One of the three ancient sisters woke from her long sleep.
3. An ancient tome, bound in human skin, was stolen from the cathedral.
4. A reclusive wizard was seen carrying an unconscious woman through the forest.
5. The heir to the throne was born with two heads.
6. The local witch offered to show the townspeople “what true power looks like”.
7. A series of natural disasters, unseasonable weather, and mass animal deaths occurred.
8. One hundred years of peace came to an abrupt end when the neighboring kingdom invaded.
9. The area around the ruins of the old temple began to glow with an eerie light.
10. A previously unknown tribe of barbaric people emerged from the mountains.
11. A dragon was spotted flying overhead.
12. A group of adventurers returned from their quest with a magical artifact.
13. The seal on the underworld was broken, unleashing hordes of demons.
14. An earthquake destroyed a major city.
15. A cauldron of witches stirred up a potion to cursed the land.
16. A comet, previously thought to be a good omen, actually brought death and disease in its wake.
17. A magical barrier, meant to keep out evil, was breached.
18. A mutation, caused by exposure to toxic waste, began to spread like wildfire.
19. A meteorite collided with the moon, causing devastating tidal waves.
20. A magical weapon, meant to be the salvation of the world, was used for mass destruction.
21. A religious sect, long thought to be harmless, began a mass suicide.
22. One of the few remaining dragons in the world rampaged through the countryside.
23. Dwarves began to congregate in the mountains, great rumbling noises emanating from their caverns.
24. Stubbornly independent sentient plants, co-existing with humans for generations, began to rebel
25. People started disappearing in the night, never to be seen again.
26. Unusual things began happening to people’s shadows.
27. The sun was suddenly blotted out by an immense, dark body.
28. A single, massive tree appeared in the middle of the town square.
29. A deep, low frequency humming noise was heard throughout the land.
30. A pair of comets crossed the sky, one red and one blue.

What happened during the cataclysm? (d30):

1. The molten core of the planet became exposed, leading to rapid cooled and the creation of a new crust.
2. The atmosphere burst into flames, engulfing the planet in an all-consuming fire.
3. The sun was extinguished, plunging the planet into an endless darkness.
4. Supernovas went off simultaneously in every galaxy, causing an explosion of cosmic proportions.
5. Every planet in the universe was torn apart, leaving only their cores behind.
6. Every living creature was incinerated in the universal fire.
7. The cosmos was reset, with new stars, galaxies, and planets being born.
8. The original cataclysmic event happened again, but this time it was even more destructive.
9. The cycle of destruction and rebirth continued infinitely, with each cycle becoming more and more violent.
10. Beasts of all size and shapes began to rampage through the land.
11. The oceans boiled away, leaving only steaming hot water behind.
12. The sky rained down blood for days.
13. The sun disappeared, and was replaced by an eerie green glow.
14. The moons shattered, raining down pieces on the surface.
15. A giant creature awoke from its slumber and began destroying everything in sight.
16. A strange disease began infecting and killing people by the thousands.
17. The sun disappeared, plunging the world into an everlasting night.
18. Electricity crackled in the air, arcing off of everything it came into contact with.
19. Massive sinkholes appeared, swallowing up anything that got too close.
20. Volcanoes erupted all across the world, blanketing the planet in ash.
21. Meteors fell from the sky, crashing into the surface and causing widespread devastation.
22. The planet was bombarded with radiation from an unknown source.
23. Structures made of stone and other non-metal materials were liquified.
24. The very fabric of reality began to unravel, with entire creatures and landscapes appearing and disappearing at random.
25. Time itself began to break down, with creatures and objects aging and de-aging erratically.
26. The laws of physics were broken, resulting in creatures and objects defy gravity, being able to pass through solid matter, etc.
27. Portals to other dimensions started appearing, often disgorging hostile creatures.
28. Energy blasts began appearing out of nowhere, vaporizing anything they touches.
29. Psychic storms ravaged the minds of all sentient creatures.
30. The ground began to produce crystalline structures that shredded anything that touched them.